PALS Resuscitation Team Dynamics 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which of the following BEST describes the principle of 'constructive intervention' in PALS team dynamics?
- The team leader intervenes physically to correct a team member's technique mid-task
- Any team member respectfully corrects an error or unsafe action observed during resuscitation (Correct answer)
- Intervention is only appropriate after the resuscitation is complete
- Only the most senior clinician may intervene in another's actions
Correct answer: Any team member respectfully corrects an error or unsafe action observed during resuscitation
Constructive intervention empowers any team member to respectfully speak up when they observe an error or unsafe practice, regardless of hierarchy.
Question 2: When should the team leader summarize the patient's status and treatment plan aloud during an ongoing resuscitation?
- Only at the beginning of the resuscitation
- Only when a new team member arrives
- Periodically throughout the resuscitation to maintain shared situational awareness (Correct answer)
- Only when asked by a team member
Correct answer: Periodically throughout the resuscitation to maintain shared situational awareness
Periodic verbal summaries by the team leader keep all team members aligned on the patient's status, interventions completed, and the upcoming plan.
Question 3: A respiratory therapist arrives late to a pediatric code already in progress. What should the team leader do FIRST?
- Ignore the new arrival and continue directing the team
- Briefly assign a specific role to the new member and update them on patient status (Correct answer)
- Ask the new member to observe until the current phase is complete
- Transfer team leadership to the respiratory therapist immediately
Correct answer: Briefly assign a specific role to the new member and update them on patient status
Integrating new arrivals quickly by assigning a role and providing a brief status update minimizes disruption and maximizes the new team member's contribution.
Question 4: During CPR, the team leader states 'We've given 2 doses of epinephrine with no ROSC. Let's discuss next steps.' What team dynamic principle does this BEST illustrate?
- Closed-loop communication
- Shared decision-making and situational awareness (Correct answer)
- Role clarity
- Workload distribution
Correct answer: Shared decision-making and situational awareness
Inviting team input while summarizing current status reflects shared decision-making and helps the team collectively determine next steps.
Question 5: Which behavior is MOST likely to undermine team performance during a pediatric resuscitation?
- Rotating compressors every 2 minutes
- A team member quietly completing tasks without reporting back (Correct answer)
- Assigning a recorder at the start of the event
- The team leader standing back to observe the full team
Correct answer: A team member quietly completing tasks without reporting back
Silent task completion without reporting back breaks the closed-loop communication cycle, leaving the team leader and others unaware of task status.
Question 6: A resuscitation team is composed of members with different levels of experience. How should the team leader adapt their communication style?
- Use the same communication style for all members regardless of experience
- Give more detailed instructions to less experienced members and simpler cues to experts (Correct answer)
- Only communicate with the most experienced members and let them relay to others
- Avoid delegating to less experienced members to prevent errors
Correct answer: Give more detailed instructions to less experienced members and simpler cues to experts
Effective team leaders adapt directives to each member's experience level, providing more guidance where needed and trusting expert team members with less direction.
Question 7: After a successful pediatric resuscitation, a team member says 'Great job everyone!' and leaves. What important step has been MISSED?
- Filing a critical incident report
- A structured debrief to review the team's performance and identify learning opportunities (Correct answer)
- Notifying administration of the event
- Completing a quality improvement survey
Correct answer: A structured debrief to review the team's performance and identify learning opportunities
A structured debrief — even brief — after every resuscitation reinforces effective behaviors and identifies areas for improvement, supporting a learning culture.
PALS Resuscitation Team Dynamics 5
Which of the following BEST describes the principle of 'constructive intervention' in PALS team dynamics?